Biden Outlines U.S. Commitment to Iraq

NEW YORK, N.M., Nov. 21 (UPI) — The United States must do what it can to reinforce progress in Iraq, where political leaders have forged a new government, Vice President Joe Biden says.

“That is why we are not disengaging from Iraq — rather, the nature of our engagement is changing from a military to a civilian lead,” Biden wrote in an op-ed piece published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times.

The United States has ended its combat mission in Iraq but is keeping 50,000 troops there to advise and assist Iraqi forces and participate in counterterrorism operations.

“Meanwhile, we are establishing a diplomatic presence throughout the country and, under the terms of our strategic framework agreement, building a dynamic partnership across a range of government sectors, including education, energy, trade, health, culture, information technology, law enforcement and the judiciary,” Biden wrote.

“In a country where extremists remain bent on sowing chaos, and where innocent civilians still suffer unspeakable hardship, the transition to a safer society depends on the continued development of Iraq’s security forces, now more than 650,000 strong.

“Nevertheless, Iraq’s security forces are not yet ready to operate fully on their own, and we must continue to support them.”

Biden outlined a laundry list of issues the United States can help Iraqi leaders with, including conducting a census; the integration of Kurdish security forces into Iraq’s military; maintaining commitments to Sunni militias that have helped fight the insurgents; resolving disputed internal boundaries; passing a hydrocarbon law; stabilizing the economy through foreign investment, private sector development and new sources of revenue beyond oil; passing a budget; and closing out Iraq’s post-Gulf war obligations to the United Nations.

“While the day will come when Iraq’s vast natural wealth can fully finance its security and investment needs, and when its civilian institutions no longer require such intensive support, it has not yet arrived,” Biden wrote. “That is why, even at this difficult economic time, we are asking Congress to fulfill our budget requests to support America’s continued engagement, including our broader diplomatic presence, a modernization plan for the Iraqi security forces and financing for a police development program. The drawdown of American troops will save $15 billion in the coming fiscal year — we seek to direct less than one-third of that amount to provide needed assistance to Iraq’s security forces and to our State Department’s civilian-led efforts.”